This invention relates to a sensing apparatus that outputs ultrasound signals at a sample, receives reflections of those ultrasound signals from the sample and processes the received signals to detect the reflections.
Ultrasound is an oscillating sound pressure wave that can be used to detect objects and measure distances. A transmitted sound wave is reflected and refracted as it encounters materials with different acoustic impedance properties. If these reflections and refractions are detected and analysed, the resulting data can be used to generate images of the environment through which the sound wave traveled.
Ultrasound can be used to identify particular structural features in an object. For example, ultrasound may be used for non-destructive testing by detecting the size and position of flaws in a sample. There are a wide range of applications that can benefit from non-destructive testing, covering different materials, sample depths and types of structural feature, such as different layers in a laminate structure, impact damage, boreholes etc. Therefore, there is a need for a sensing apparatus that is capable of performing well in a wide-range of different applications.